New Nissan Note revealed

This is the new Nissan Note, which will try to take the model away from its 'small MPV' origins when it goes on sale in the autumn.

Nissan claims that the new model will go up against regular superminis such as the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo - although that target may have more to do with the poor reception for the latest Micra than a radical realignment of the Note.

Nevertheless, the Note - which makes its public debut at the Geneva motor show - will have a host of technologies that are new to this size of car, including blindspot monitoring and an 'all-round' reversing camera that can clean itself. It also has a more premium cabin and more dramatic front-end styling - although the overall look is still closer to that of a mini-MPV than regular supermini.

What's the 2013 Nissan Note like inside?
The Note's front cabin looks considerably more premium than the Micra's, and slightly upmarket from the Juke's. The car in these images features Nissan's 'Connect' infotainment system, which is based around a 5.8in screen in the centre of the dashboard. It offers Google connectivity, allowing sat-nav routes calculated at home to be transferred directly to the car, plus information on the fuel prices of nearby filling stations, points of interest and weather forecasts.

The Note will offer a range of new safety features, grouped together in what Nissan calls 'Safety Shield'. The package will include a blindspot warning system, lane-departure warning and a rear parking sensor system that gives an audible and visual alert if someone or something is moving behind the vehicle. The sensor combines with a wide-angle camera mounted in the rear hatch; the system monitors its own visibility and uses a mixture of water drops and compressed air to clean the lens if required.

A further four cameras can provide an 'Around View Monitor' that gives the driver a top-down view to help with parking.

All Notes will get engine stop-start, six airbags and cruise control as standard. Mid-spec Acenta trim level will add air-conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity and electric rear windows, while the range-topping Tekna will offer the 'Safety Shield', the Nissan Connect infotainment system, the 360-degree parking monitor, part-leather trim and keyless entry.

Nissan has yet to announce the car's boot capacity, but as with the outgoing model, the rear bench seat will move backwards and forwards to improve either cabin or luggage space. The car also has a dual-height boot floor.

What are the 2013 Nissan Note's engines?
A single 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine will be offered, but in two states of tune. The more lowly version has 79bhp and 68lb ft of torque, and delivers average fuel economy of 60.1mpg and CO2 emissions of 109g/km.

The unit will also be offered with a supercharger. Badged DIG-S, this version has 97bhp and 88lb ft, and returns 65.7mpg and 99g/km. It will also be available with a CVT automatic transmission, although CO2 emissions rise to 119g/km with that gearbox.

The diesel option is an 89bhp 1.5-litre motor; it offers CO2 emissions of just 95/gkm, and average fuel economy of 78.5mpg.

The Note will continue to be built in the UK, at Nissan's factory in Sunderland.

How much will the 2013 Nissan Note cost?
Nissan hasn't released pricing data for the new car, but senior marketing officials admit that 'some realignment' is likely. That means the Note is likely to get a modest price increase to put it in line with models such as the five-door Fiesta and Polo. We'd expect its entry-level models to nudge up from their current starting price of around 11,500 to slightly more than 12k.

However, the base models will make up only a small percentage of overall sales; expect the big seller to be the mid-spec Acenta, which should cost from around 13,500.